Kim Jong-Un 'Bans Gatherings Involving Drinking And Singing'

Kim Jong-un has reportedly banned people from meeting up drinking and singing, as he tries to increase his control over North Koreans.

Gatherings involving singing, drinking and entertainment are all said to be banned, according to a briefing to South Korean lawmakers by the National Intelligence Service that took place yesterday, the MailOnline reports.

The intelligence officers told the briefing that this was an attempt to stifle the impact of the ongoing harsh economic sanctions which have been imposed on the country by the international community in retaliation for North Korea's development and testing of weapons, including nuclear devices.

News agency Yonhap reported the agency as saying: "(Pyongyang) has devised a system whereby party organs report people's economic hardships on a daily basis, and it has banned any gatherings related to drinking, singing and other entertainment and is strengthening control of outside information."

The citizens of North Korea already live under heavily controlled conditions, having to deal with heavy restrictions on travelling abroad and harsh punishments for being found in possession of foreign media.

And, earlier this year the 2017 Pyongyang Beer Festival was cancelled last-minute, despite the success of the previous year's festival, due to the 'ongoing drought in the country', Newsweek reported.

The agency also said it was watching North Korea for signs of new missile launches: "The agency is closely following the developments because there is a possibility that North Korea could fire an array of ballistic missiles this year under the name of a satellite launch and peaceful development of space."

However, the agency also added that there was no-sign of imminent weapons testing, but tentatively said that one of the tunnels at the test site does appear to be ready for use at 'any time'.

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